Nots

Garage Punk

Purveyors of what they call weird punk, Nots are a Memphis, Tennessee combo who lay out fast, simple, aggressive tunes fortified with jagged guitar runs, atonal electronics, and disorienting layers of reverb. Beginning as a lo-fi two-piece in 2011, the band soon gained the endorsement of Memphis blues-punk label Goner Records, and expanded to a powerful noise-making quartet with their first album in 2014. Their approach became more concise with 2019's 3, which was both Nots' third album and their first as a trio, though the music was no less aggressive or muscular as a result. Nots were formed in 2011 by guitarist Natalie Hoffmann and drummer Charlotte Watson; Hoffmann initially served double duty with Nots and Ex-Cult before making Nots her main musical commitment, while Watson was a veteran of the Manatees. Hoffmann and Watson originally played out as a two-piece, but soon expanded to a trio with the addition of bassist Madison Farmer, whose résumé included stints with Chain & the Gang and Toxie. Nots released their debut 7 single, Dust Red, on Memphis' celebrated garage-centric indie label Goner Records in October 2013. A bit more than a year later, Nots dropped their first full-length album, We Are Nots; by this time, the band had grown into a quartet, with Alexandra Eastburn on keyboards. In 2016, Nots delivered their second full-length album, Cosmetic; the LP introduced a new Nots lineup, with new bassist Meredith Lones replacing Madison Farmer. 2017 saw a steady str...